Name: Republic of Kenya
Capital: Nairobi
Population: 47.6 million+
Official language: Swahili
Area: 580, 367 km2
Climate: Tropical
Known for its record-breaking marathon runners, the Great Wildebeest Migration and breathtaking safaris, Kenya is home to an incredible array of people, communities, wildlife and forests.
These forests are not only unique and vibrant; they’re also important on a global level.
They cover over 37 million hectares, sequestering a phenomenal amount of CO2 while storing rainwater, preventing flooding, improving soil fertility, regulating climate conditions and providing local livelihoods.
They also support an estimated 1,847 species of amphibians, birds, mammals, and reptiles – 4% of which are only found in Kenya itself – and 6,505 types of vascular plants.
Accordingly, the widespread deforestation that has occured in Kenya since the ’70s is a significant cause for concern, on both a local, national and international level.
Site name: Mida Creek
Population: 7,459
Reforestation: Mangrove
Site size: 300 Hectares
Primary economic activity: Fisheries and farming
Keep an eye out for: The rare crab plover, yellow-billed stork, whimbrel, the osprey and more.
Mida Creek is a tidal inlet on the east coast of Africa, in Kenya.
It’s tucked away in a small village called Dabaso, but what isn’t small is the huge amount of wildlife and sealife attracted to the area.
Surrounded by eight types of mangroves and lined by palms, the tidal creek is home to beds of seagrass and coral, numerous species of fish, feeding sea turtles, crabs and an array of migratory birds.
Fun fact: some of the migratory birds in Midas Creek will travel from as far as Europe to get here.
The creek is also fundamental to the local community, providing subsistence and income from fishing and farming.
But there’s a problem. Deforestation.
Large-scale mangrove deforestation from land cleared for fuelwood, charcoal, prawns and salt production, coupled with the destructive El Niño in 1997 (warming of sea temperatures) has led to:
In turn, this is leading to extreme poverty, reduced wildlife and endangered sea life.
Together, we can help overcome these problems by planting trees in Mida Creek, employing local villagers to plant native tree species and work to restore the local environment while lifting communities out of poverty.
Site name: Kijabe Forest
Population: 200,000
Reforestation: Afromontane restoration & reforestation
Total forest size: 5,500 Hectares
Key species: East African sandalwood, and African pencil cedar and African olive
Keep an eye out for: Aardvark, leopards and the spotted hyaena
Kijabe Forest in Kenya is a biodiversity hotspot, home to an array of tree species, mammals and birds.
It also supports a local community of nearly 200,000 people. They rely on the forest both directly and indirectly, for agriculture, food and water.
Fun fact: Kijabe stands on the edge of the Great Rift Valley – a series of geographic trenches running from Lebanon to Mozambique and spanning approximately 4,300 miles
However, recent years have seen the forest relied on heavily for the wrong reasons. The overharvesting of trees for charcoal and timer is having a devastating affect on the area. Deforestation is causing unpredictable weather patterns, flooding and landslides, which in turn affect wildlife habitats, water supply, local infrastructure and livelihoods.
Together with our planting partners, we’re looking to stop these devastations, protect the forest and help sequester future CO2 emissions at the same time.
How?
Together, we can make a big difference.
By planting trees in Kenya we’re helping support 10 of the 17 UN SDGs:
Hiring community members to reforest mangroves
Providing communities with the means to purchase and grow food
Providing meaningul work and supportive communities
Providing women and men with work and the means to support themselves
Creating jobs and opportunities to boost the area
Lifting people out of poverty and allowing them to earn a living
Planting trees that will go on to sequester CO2 in the future
Providing water filtration, improving habitats and regulating rainfall
Reducing flooding, providing habitats and improving soil quality
Working together to support sustainable development for our planet
By planting trees in Kenya we’re helping support 10 of the 17 UN SDGs: